Who would’ve thought 2025 would turn out like this for Islam Makhachev? UFC 311 was supposed to be his grand moment. His chance to solidify his reign. But first, Arman Tsarukyan pulled out at the last minute, forcing Renato Moicano to step in. And now? Ilia Topuria has decided he’s “done all he can” at featherweight, throwing yet another wrench into this Dagestani’s double-champ ambitions. But why does it seem like everyone else in the UFC is getting their wishes granted, while Islam is stuck waiting?
If Chael Sonnen is to be believed, it’s because the Islam-Ilia fight is already a done deal. On ESPN’s Good Guy/Bad Guy, Sonnen laid it out. “I just can’t imagine that Ilia Topuria would go to Dana White and say, ‘I’m going to give you my belt back with no guarantee of a return or an opportunity to give up the participation element of his contract which is worth millions and millions of dollars.’”
Sonnen’s theory? Ilia Topuria wasn’t going to make 145 for much longer, so he got a deal done before dropping the belt. He wasn’t going to risk it all without securing something huge in return. And according to Brendan Schaub, there’s no doubt what that something is. “You think Ilia just said, ‘I’ll give up the belt and face anyone’? No way,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel. “I’m certain he made that move knowing he’s getting a shot at Islam.”
MMA: UFC 298-Volkanovski vs Topuria Feb 17, 2024 Anaheim, California, USA Ilia Topuria fights against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Anaheim Honda Center California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20240217_gav_sv5_175
And if you listen to Diego Lima—Charles Oliveira’s longtime coach sees the writing on the wall. “Topuria hasn’t vacated the featherweight title without some compromise, without some advanced negotiation,” Lima told Alvaro Colmenro. “I think Topuria only moves up to fight for the belt.” So let’s call it what it is, Ilia Topuria isn’t just moving up. He’s moving straight into a title fight, skipping the line entirely. But is it fair?
Why is Ilia Topuria getting special treatment?
So, why does the UFC blatantly favor some fighters while others get left out in the cold? In the case of ‘El Matador’, Michael Bisping thinks the answer lies in Topuria’s marketability. On his YouTube channel, Bisping said that the UFC needs a new superstar, and ‘El Matador’ is that guy. With his knockout power, his flashy personality, and his growing Spanish-Georgian fanbase, he’s quickly becoming the UFC’s next golden boy.
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev, a Dagestani warrior cut from the same cloth as Khabib Nurmagomedov, brings a dedicated fanbase of his own. Put these two together? That’s money. The UFC sees this fight as their next big blockbuster, a potential sequel to the McGregor vs. Khabib saga.
Here’s where things get tricky. Just last month, Diego Lopes revealed that the UFC told him, “If you want to go up a division, you have to vacate your title. That’s the policy for all champions considering a move.” So no more double champs? Well, sort of. UFC boss, Dana White, in his classic fashion, gave a half-answer to this. “If there’s a guy that thinks he can do it and wants to defend both belts and has accomplished all these great things, I would have no problem with it. But, you’re gonna be busy.”
That’s the UFC in a nutshell. Rules apply until they don’t. Fighters like Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier had their double-champ moments. But now? Now the UFC is suddenly enforcing the “vacate first” rule, except when they’re not. Zhang Weili, for example, is still under consideration for a second belt.
So there’s a chance for Islam, but just not yet? Meanwhile, with ‘El Matador’ vacating his title, the featherweight division is scrambling. Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will now fight for the vacant belt at UFC 314. And as for Ilia Topuria? “We will announce what Topuria’s next fight will be when we get it done,” the head honcho teased.
And we all know what that means. This fight is already in the works. The UFC just needs the right moment to make it official. So, what do you think? Is Topuria vs. Makhachev the fight to make? Or is Islam getting the short end of the stick once again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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